Just wanted to reply to this outside the “post your story” thread.
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I finally saw a neurologist, who very definitively stated that MAV has a start and end point. ie. You get vertigo, have headache, and feel better in three days – max. Then you are completely normal and functioning until the next migraine episode. In other words, having ‘chronic’ symptoms (such as I have, spinning, rocking, falling sensation, floating, weakness, dizzy, lightheaded, etc) excludes me from having this condition. I explained to him that the severity of these symptoms vary, but are always present, at least slightly. He concluded that yes, I suffer migraine, but the vertigo is unrelated. He basically said I do not have anything which he can treat, as this vertigo is not neurological and has referred me (back) to an ENT!!!
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We can definitely state that he is wrong If he needs evidence, there are articles on this site (see the articles forum) documenting chronic cases of vertigo that respond to migraine treatment. He has an old school view of things … many neurologists still do (including the local one in my city).
The e-medicine article also clearly states:
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At the time of presentation, dizziness symptoms may have been present for a few weeks or for several years. Vertigo may occur spontaneously, provoked by head motion or provoked by visual stimuli. Symptoms may last for a few minutes or may be continuous for several weeks or months.
Every neurologist I have seen in the last year has told me that the length of time I have had my symptoms did not support the diagnosis of migraine, and that it was a “long shot” that migraine treatment would help. Yes, they were all wrong. Adam, thanks for providing us with documentation which states otherwise.
After numerous tests with ENT specialist and another neurologist, I finally got to see the ‘dizzy’ neurologist approx 2-3 months after I had a big episode of vertigo, followed by all the motion sickness stuff that never let up until I saw him for a diagnosis…and he’s still treating me nearly two years down the track with the same symptoms - and the same diagnosis, migrainous vertigo (that’s Oz term for MAV). His thoughts were that the months and months of dizziness and vertigo (I only had two real vertigo attacks) as well as migraine headaches, ear aches, eye aches, photophobia and phonophobia were all interconnected with a migraine condition which runs in my family. Mine is just more chronic and after suffering several setbacks and still gradually clawing my way back to normality, he still maintains that it will settle in time, and that there are no limits as to how long it might take. I’m still taking migraine medication and I AM GETTING BETTER. So don’t be discouraged by that comment. We’ve all sought several opinions by specialists. And we have all learnt to question things which we have concerns about too!
I finally got to see the ‘dizzy’ neurologist approx 2-3 months after I had a big episode of vertigo, followed by all the motion sickness stuff that never let up until I saw him for a diagnosis…and he’s still treating me nearly two years down the track with the same symptoms - and the same diagnosis, migrainous vertigo (that’s Oz term for MAV). His thoughts were that the months and months of dizziness and vertigo (I only had two real vertigo attacks) as well as migraine headaches, ear aches, eye aches, photophobia and phonophobia were all interconnected with a migraine condition which runs in my family. … We’ve all sought several opinions by specialists. And we have all learnt to question things which we have concerns about too!
Dizzyblonde
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I too saw a ‘dizzy’ neurologists at the local university hospital. Actually her title was simply neurologists, but she specializes in dizzy and balance disorders caused by neurological problems. She is also the only specialized neurologist in the state. Anyway, she pretty much told me the same thing. For humor purposes, she calls MAV vestibular migraines. She told me that my chronic equilibrium problems (going on 18 months at that time) were very common for MAV, along with many other symptoms that I experience, including family history of migraines. She also told me that MAV/vestibular migraines are a fairly new definition of migraines and not all neurologists have ever heard of them. Before I saw her, I saw a neurologist that had studied under her, and had never heard of MAV, he did try to treat me for my headaches though and my balance started improving almost right away. Turns out he was treating me for the right thing without knowing about it.
Anyway, my point is that not all doctors have the same opinion, nor have they heard of all variations of migraines. Sometimes you have to keep searching around. Good luck.
Congratulations on “soon to be 4”. I just wanted to add my two cents - don’t stress. My symptoms did get better when I was pregnant. I will say this, though, through the years, I have noticed my symptoms are always much worse right before my cycle, so for me, some of it is hormone related. Hopefully it will be in your case also. If it is, I think you may find pregnancy will be a welcome relief for you - that would be wonderful, hey?
I have to agree with the others, I too, saw a neurologist who was “old school” , and who told me I definitely was suffering from migraines, but he wasn’t too sure about the dizziness. I went with his treatment for migraines, and saw improvement. There are just so many out there who clueless - if they can’t see it on an MRI or CT scan, or if it wasn’t in one of their medical books, it doesn’t exist.
Hang in there - print off those articles from Adam (mail them to him if you must) - you’ll be fine- truly you will. You are on the right track!!!
If he needs evidence, there are articles on this site (see the articles forum) documenting chronic cases of vertigo that respond to migraine treatment. He has an old school view of things … many neurologists still do (including the local one in my city).